Example embodiments herein relate to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to magnetic memory devices, electronic systems and memory cards including the same, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of forming perpendicular magnetic films.
Recently, according to the desire to achieve higher speed and/or lower power electronic devices, demands for a higher speed operation and a lower operational voltage may be increasing in a semiconductor memory device which is a component part of the electronic devices. A magnetic memory device may be introduced as one of the semiconductor memory devices to meet such demands. Magnetic memory devices may be a next generation semiconductor memory device due to their higher-speed operation and/or nonvolatility.
In general, a magnetic memory device may include a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pattern. A MTJ may include two magnetic substances and an insulation layer disposed between the two magnetic substances. A resistance value of the MTJ pattern may vary according to a magnetization direction of the two magnetic substances. For example, the resistance value of the MTJ may be large when the magnetization directions of the two magnetic substances are antiparallel. The resistance value of the MTJ may be small when the magnetization directions of the two magnetic substances are parallel. The difference in the resistance values enables writing and reading of data.